Kenya celebrates fifty years of self rule today, one month after the grisly Westgate mall attack. And to correct my sister who made today's morning's announcements in church, we are celebrating 50 years of independence, not fifty years of existence! Nonetheless, have we taken a moment to ponder what exactly it is that we are celebrating, besides age and a new national symbol? We have a lot on our plate at the moment. And The president's demeanor during the celebrations today at Nyayo stadium really belies the delicate situation he, and fifty-year-old Kenya is currently facing. It was a strong public display of equanimity and being in control of the situation, both desirable qualities in a leader, but perhaps beneath that outer veneer of confidence lies a concerned and disturbed leader. How we navigate some of the issues that assail us -The cases at the ICC; the crisis at the Judiciary; successful implementation of the constitution, amid a host of numerous other national issues -will determine the success our young nation attains in the many years to come. Key to this is the need to sacrifice political expediency at the altar of our nation's interests, a departure from the old way of doing things, or business as usual. Only then will we be able to chant "Long live Kenya." Failure to do so will set us on the same path we trod soon after the 1st liberation in 1963.
Many of the ideals fought for and envisioned were quickly abandoned soon after independence in exchange for personal gratification and enrichment. We lost many bright, nationalist and visionary leaders. Dissenters were quickly and summarily silenced and relegated to political oblivion as the government cracked down on 'those trying to destroy the Uhuru we fought so hard to attain.'
Let the 2nd liberation stand for something real and for posterity.
Happy Mashujaa day!
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